Pubdate: Thu, 10 Oct 2002
Source: Coquitlam Now, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002Lower Mainland Publishing Group, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.thenownews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1340
Author: Name withheld by request

DON'T BLAME THE DETOX WORKERS

This is in response to Patricia Powicks comments in the Saturday, Oct. 5, 
NOW about the shortage of detox beds. She is absolutely correct that there 
are not enough beds available, but to put all the blame on the detox 
workers is not fair at all.

My husband works at the only detox between Burnaby and Boston Bar. There 
are 22 beds available. That's it. That's all.

The workers have tried every way imaginable to get addicts in as quickly as 
possible but as you can see it is a very impossible task. They have a time 
available for addicts to call and get on the waiting list. They have 
changed the times over the years to try and suit the most people's needs. 
As you can imagine, no time suits everyone and they always get complaints.

Phone calls take time away from the addicts because the workers have to 
answer the phones.

However, even if they could hire someone to just answer phones, it would 
not change the fact that there are only 22 beds.

Please put the blame squarely on the government's shoulders. They are the 
ones that will not fund more detoxes.

Call your MLAs at 7:30 in the morning and make your complaints known.

Hopefully the Fraser Heath Authority will take it upon themselves to solve 
this problem. Please do not blame the detoxes themselves. If they had more 
beds they would fill them.

Name withheld by request 
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MAP posted-by: Beth